Nellie's return home was now fixed for the next week, and all longed to have her presence once more. She wrote frequent letters, detailing all her doings, and told them of the proposed picnic. But while Nellie was in danger under Orston Cliff, another danger was creeping, unsuspected, nearer and nearer to that happy circle at home. [Illustration] [Illustration] CHAPTER XIII. CALLED HOME. THE sun rose over Fairleigh the next morning after the eventful picnic with its own calm grandeur. There was no sign in its clear shining that it had set the night before on such a scene of danger to the circle of friends living at Shellford. Nellie and Hope were seated at breakfast with old Mrs. Arundel, who was anxiously questioning them once more as to whether they were tired, or felt to have taken cold. Nellie said she was quite as well as ever; but Hope, though she made the best of herself, could not hide that she was miserable and shivering. "She was so long wet, you see, grandmamma; it is no wonder," said Nellie. "My dears, why did you not come and tell me what danger you had been in, last night?" "Dear grandmamma, we were dry then, and it was of no use giving you a sleepless night." "I feel as if I might have done something for you, my dears; but, however, I thank God all are safe; I cannot be too thankful." Before breakfast was over, Aunt Ruth entered, and begged to be told all about it. She had heard from the servant a word of the accident, and could not be satisfied till she knew all. Her inquiries elicited that the young canoeist, who had saved so many of them, was staying at a village a few miles off; and that Wilmot would go over there to-day to call upon him and thank him. "And how did they get off the rock?" asked Aunt Ruth, "I did not understand." "Wilmot brought the boat round for them after we had been rescued," said Hope. "Was it a large rock?" "Only just room for them to stand, and in deep water. How horrified dear mother would have been, if she had been able to see little Mary standing there." "It is often well we cannot see," said Aunt Ruth. "And how did you all get dry?" "It was a long job," said Nellie. "Mrs. Mansbridge put us all to bed at once. She had a roaring fire half up her chimney, and Mrs. Elliot and she stood and turned our things till they were fit to put on." "Then did you have tea in bed?" "Yes, dear mamma brought it to us. She did look so tired and wan before we all came down again." "Your poor mother!" said Mrs. Arundel. "But how did you get home after it all?"